Table lamp



LMLJ'IG Jul 15, 1929.

JYA cAMmo TABLE Filed Jan. 21, 192? 5 25 INVENTOR Mg BY ALITORINEY Patented July 16, 1929.

JAMES A. CAMPO, OF WOODRIDGE, NEW JERSEY.'

TABLE LAMP.

Application filed January 21, 1927. Serial No. 162,475.

This invention relates to improvements in lamps, and has particular reference to dualvoltage electric table lamps for indoor use.

Animportant object of the invention, in its broader aspects, is to provide a table lamp with a high-voltage circuit and a low-voltage circuit, whereby incandescent lamp. bulbs of different voltages may be supplied with electric current from a sing'u source.

A more specific object is to provide a lamp of the above mentioned character with selfcontained means for reducing the voltage of the cmrent supplied to one of a plurality of lamp sockets, and wherein the lamp sockets are independently and selectively controllable.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the voltage-reducing means is in the nature of an electric step-down transformer of substantial weight, so disposed as to assist in maintaining the equilibrium of the lamp. Another object is to provide such a device which will be simple in construction, strong and durable in service, neat in appearance,

' and a substantial advance in the art.

These and other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description when read in count "tion with the accompanying drawings, wherein a pre-. ferred form of the invention has been shown by way of illustration, and wherein,

Figure l is a vertical transverse sectional view through a lamp built in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through the lower portion of the same;

Figure 3 is a horizontal, transverse, SEC? tional View on line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a diagram of one form of wiring connections within the improved lamp.

The lamp contemplated by the present ,invention is particularly adapted for use in bed-rooms, and other environments in which it may be desirable to periodically employ a dim light or one of very low candle-power, and the broad feature of novelty resides in the provision of a dual-socket, dual-voltage lamp, wherein both branches of a compound circuit are supplied with electric current from a single source.

The device illustrated in the drawings comprises a stand or pedestal 10, which is provided at its lower end with anenlarged base 11 and at its upper end with a standard size illuminating lamp socket 12. The pedestal 10 may preferably be hollow and can conveniently be formed from sheet metal which in the drawings has been shown as comprising a front wall 13 and a back wall 14: joined together by side walls 15 and 16. The arrangement is such that said wall-s convergcnpwardly whereby the complete'pedestal is substantially in the form of a regular pyramid, but obviously,other specific constructions may be resorted to, for example, in the number of walls employed and in theirfoutline. Inter mediate their ends the walls 13, 15 and 16 are provided with window openings 17 each of which fitted with a glass or other transparent closure plate 18, said closure plates being held in place bymeans of ofi'set metallic clips 19 at their upper and lower edges. The wall 14, which for convenience I term the back wall, is similarly provided with an opening 20 which has been shown as of less height than the openings 17 and which is normally closed by a removable plate 21. Said plate 21 is preferably disposed upon the outer surface of the wall 14 and provided with holding clips 22 and 23 which have their extremities spaced from the inner side of the plate and capable of engaging the inner surface of the wall 14.

Normally the clip '22 bearsthe weight of the plate 21 when the same is in place, and the proportions of the clip 23 are such as to permit the upward movement of the closure plate on the wall 14 to the extent of disengaging the lower clip 22 and permitting the outward movement of the lower edge of said closure plate from the wall 14. Thus the closure plate 21 may be conveniently removed when desired to give access to the interior of the pedestal 10. If desired a suitable finger piece 24 may be secured to the outer'side of the plate 21 whereby to assist in its removal from or application to the lamp.

The enlarged base 11 may also be formed of sheet material and may have any desired outline, that in the drawing being shown "square and having mchned upper walls 26 which extend from the lower edges of the walls '13, 14, 15 and 16 to a downwardly extending peripheral flange 27. Thus the base 11 is also provided with an internal compartment which forms a convenient housing for an electric transformer 28 by means of which electric current may be modified for the supply to one of a pair of lamp sockets. The transformer may be of any ordinary or preferred type knownto those skilled in the art and has been shown conventionally in the drawings as of a generally rectangular outline and equipped at twoof its opposite sides with feet 29 by which it may be secured to a supporting bar 30 with the aid of screws 31, or the like. The supporting bar 30 may conveniently be formed from fiat bar stock or its equivalent and extends longitudinally in the base 11, it being secured at its opposite ends to horizontal portions 32 of mounting brackets. 33 which in turn are carried by the peripheral flange 27. Suitable screws 34 and 00- operating nuts 35 may be employed to firmly anchor the supporting bar 30 to the brackets 33, and it is to be understood that transformers of this general character have substantial weight and that by disposing it low down in the base said weight is effective in maintaining the equilibrium of the lamp.

Extending either transversely or longi tudinally across the interior'of the pedestal 10 andpreferably at a position below the lower edges of the window openings 17 is a substantially horizontal shelf 36 having at its opposite ends flange portions 37 which are secured to the opposite walls 15 and 16 by means of rivets br screws 38. Mounted upon said shelf and preferably in fixed position, is an upwardly-extending miniature lamp socket 39 for the reception of a low voltage 1 lamp bulb 40, the arrangement bein such that when the miniature lamp bulb 40 1s illuminated it will be visible through the transparent window plates 18.

Electric current is furnished to the socket 39 through a pair of suitable conducting I wires 41 and 42 from the low voltage side of 'aself-contained switch mechanism 46.

the transformer 28, and interposed in the circuit, in any suitable manner, is -a manual control switch 43'which has been conventionally shown in the drawings and which may preferably be secured upon one wall 26 of the base 11. The lamp socket 12 is furnished with current through the conducting wires 44 and 45 and manually controllable b 3.

wires 44 and 45 extend upwardly through the pedestal 10 and are electrically connected at their lower ends to the main power leads 47 and 48, which also furnish current to the high voltage side of the transformer 28. Said power leads 47 and 48 extend outwardly from the base 11 through a usual insulation bushing 49 and may be connected in any suitable manin a 110 volt A. O. circuit and furnish the socket 12 and its lamp bulb 50 withelectric current at 110 volts, and when desired some F r, xamis of substantially the same outline as the a base and secured to L-shaped brackets 52 by means of suitable screws 53.

When in use the improved lamp will function as an ordinary table or reading lamp, and when connected to its source of supply by means of the usual flexible cord the entire device will be portableand thus capable of being readily moved from one place to another. The high voltage or standard voltage bulb 50 furnishes the usual high voltage illumination and, if desired, of course it may be shielded by means of any ordinary or preferred type of lamp shade. When the switch 46 is manipulated to break the circuit in the socket 12, the switch 43 may be actuated to close the circuit through the socket 39, and in this condition a very dim light will be furnished through the windows 18, said dim light having utility for a number of different purposes. For example, it is frequently desirable in an invalids sick room to main tain a very faint light all during the night; also, some people have found it desirable to maintain a very dim light in childrens bedrooms whereby to pacify the fears of the children before they fall asleep. It may also by conveniently used by photographers and the like in their dark-room work.

In the wiring connections specifically illustrated and described herein, the arrangement is such that the current at a full 110 volts will be supplied to the lamp 50 but it will be evident that other arrangements may be resorted to whereby modified voltage will be fur-- affecting the other side. For example, in one form of the invention it is contemplated toconnect both sides of the circuit directly with the transformer in such a manner that 6 voltcurrent will be supplied to one of the lamp sockets and 3 volt current supplied to the other socket.

It will be evident from the foregoing that an im roved dual-voltage table lamp has been provi ed, it being of extreme simplicity in construction and eflicient in use. Obviously,

numerous modifications may be resorted to.

in the details of construction and in the electrical connections, and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

H ving' thus described my invention, what I claim, 1s:

A lamp of the class described, comprising a hollow lamp stand having upwardly converging walls provided with window openings, a full-voltage illuminating lamp socket at the upper end of the stand, the stand having an enlarged hollow base for resting on a table, a transversely extending shelf within the stand and located above and contiguous to the base, and back ofthe window openings, .3.

miniature-lamp socket mounted on top of the shelf, a transverse bar supported within and -by the base, and a transformer mounted on top of said bar within the base, slightly below the said shelf, for furnishing low-voltage currentto the miniature-lamp socket, the weight of which transformer maintains the equilibrium of the lamp upon a table or the like.

JAMES A. omo. 

